ASHLEY GILES returns to The Oval knowing that his 50th Test cap will come in one of the biggest sporting occasions of the century so far.

England enter the final match of their series against Australia on Thursday with anything but defeat enabling them to bring back the Ashes for the first time since 1989. It has been hyped as the most important game of any sort in the UK since the 1966 football World Cup final.

A more realistic comparison would be with the final Ashes Test of 1953, where Surrey’s headquarters saw England regain the urn for the first time in 21 years. And The Oval also saw them wrested back in 1926 and 1985.

The irony for Giles, whose cool head under pressure enabled him and Matthew Hoggard to score the final 13 runs needed for England to sneak home by three wickets at Trent Bridge on Sunday, putting them 2-1 up, is that Surrey declined to offer him a contract when he was attempting to make his way in the game.

Having come to notice first as a seamer at Guildford before turning to spin, left-armer Giles was instead given a contract by Warwickshire in 1992 and set upon the path which would make him an automatic choice for England over the last three years.

The 32-year-old has been awarded a benefit by Warwickshire next year, yet The Oval keeps cropping up. He said: “I made my one-day international debut there in 1997 and there’s something about the place which won’t let me go.

“I don’t think anyone could have told me I’d play 50 Tests back when I was starting and it’s a bit ironic that it should come in a match like this.”

The clash is a complete sell-out for all five days, much to the delight of Surrey who have an expensive new stand for which to pay.

Giles said he was delighted to hear that Guildford had bounced back into the Surrey Championship Premier Division at the first attempt but was concerned that Ripley, where he grew up and played his colts cricket, are in danger of sliding out of Division Four.

He will have slightly bigger things to worry about than their relegation tussle with Epsom tomorrow – a rare appearance for Warwickshire against Hampshire in the C&G Trophy final at Lord’s. Criticism of Australia that they have allowed a great team to get old together may strike a chord with watching Surrey members, whose county’s chances of averting relegation from Frizzell County Championship Division One were further damaged by a draw against Hampshire at The Oval last weekend.

Having lost the first day to rain, the sides finished just 16 runs apart in the first innings and with the captains either unwilling or unable to conjure a finish, Surrey batted out the final day to be 302 all out.

With Glamorgan and Gloucestershire already relegated, they are fighting with Middlesex to avoid being the third side to drop. The north Londoners started their current match against Gloucestershire at Bristol two points ahead with a match in hand.

Surrey also slid back down towards the foot of Totesport Division Two courtesy of a five-wicket hammering by Somerset at The Oval on Sunday and a two-wicket defeat off the last ball by Sussex at Hove on Wednesday night.